Committee backs grant program to fund railroad grade separations to improve safety and mobility

Senator Nichols presented Senate Bill 1555 to establish a grant program administered by the Texas Department of Transportation to fund railroad grade separation projects at intersections of railroads and roadways that are not part of the state highway system.

Proponents said the measure would promote safety and economic efficiency. Catherine Parker, executive director of the Gulf Coast Rail District, told the committee the Houston region alone has roughly 1,200 crossings traversed by nearly 5 million vehicles daily and that grade separations ‘‘reduce train-vehicle collisions, eliminate delays caused by blocked crossings and improve emergency response times.’’

Rail labor and safety advocates also supported the bill. Ben Wright, state legislative chairman for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, described grade separations as a way to protect both railroad employees and the public, and cited recent fatal collisions during complex rail moves. Transportation advocacy groups and planners likewise told the committee elimination of at-grade crossings can reduce fatalities and serious injuries and improve emergency access and freight reliability.

The committee received technical input from TxDOT and several local and regional stakeholders. The committee substitute removed language that would have allowed grant money to be paid directly to rail companies and clarified that projects must be competitively bid under the transportation code. The substitute also specified a 10% local match requirement for grant recipients.

After testimony the committee adopted the committee substitute and voted to report SB 1555 favorably to the full Senate (9 ayes, 0 nays). The bill was described by proponents as a state-level tool to leverage federal and local funds for large infrastructure projects that can range from roughly $5 million to $50 million per grade separation.